The present disclosure relates generally to a dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a product dispensing apparatus having more than one output drive condition.
Product dispensers typically include sheet product dispensers that house multiple rolls of sheet product. The sheet product dispensers are typically arranged to allow maintenance personnel to utilize a partially depleted roll, also referred to as a “stub roll.” This partially depleted or stub roll is usually placed in a position to dispense sheet product first to maximize the utilization of sheet product and minimize waste. A second roll, usually a full roll, is also placed within the sheet product dispenser to be used once the stub roll has been depleted.
While some sheet product dispensers merely store the full roll for later manual refilling by maintenance personnel, it is generally preferred to have the full roll automatically dispense once the stub roll is depleted. The automatic dispensing of the full roll allows maintenance personnel responsible for the dispenser to increase the time period between maintenance visits, thus decreasing operating costs and minimizing waste. Sheet product is generally dispensed using a roller system where the sheet product is passed between a drive roller and a pinch roller and the resulting friction pulls the sheet product from the dispensing roll.
The switch from the stub roll to the full roll may be accomplished using a bar that pushes the end (tail portion) of the full roll of sheet product into the rollers. Once the sheet product of the secondary roll has been positioned against the rollers, the resulting friction pulls the sheet product through the rollers and is thereafter dispensed to the user. It is desirable to minimize waste in the operation of the sheet product dispenser to minimize costs. However, it is also desirable to have sheet product available when the user activates the sheet product dispenser. Such requirements often result in double sheeting, where the drive system is set to have the full roll dispense prior to complete depletion of the stub roll, which increases the dispensing resistance. Such requirements may also require breakage of the adhesive holding the sheet product of the stub roll to the axial tube of the stub roll when paper on the stub roll is fully depleted, which also increases the dispensing resistance. In addition, variations in roll diameter, core diameter, product characteristics such as weight, and other dispensing conditions such as wrinkled or crumpled product may increase the dispensing resistance. As such, a dispenser drive system must be capable of overcoming this increased dispensing resistance in order to have sheet product available when the user activates the dispenser.
Typical dispensers address this increased dispensing resistance by utilizing a drive system that is only configured to overcome the highest dispensing resistance, which typically occurs only a fraction of the time the dispenser is used. A drive motor designed to overcome the highest dispensing resistance is unlikely to operate efficiently for the majority of the time where the dispensing resistance is not elevated, thereby resulting in wasted energy.
While existing product dispensers are suitable for their intended purposes, there still remains a need for improvements, particularly regarding the efficiency of operation of the dispenser.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.